Comelec disqualifies ‘Atong Paglaum,’ 12 other party list groups

MALAYBALAY CITY (Bukidnon News/12 October) The Commission on Elections sitting en banc disqualified Bukidnon-based party list group “Atong Paglaum” (Our Hope) and 12 others in a resolution announced to Manila-based reporters this week.

Atong Paglaum, a party list backed by Vice Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. in the 2010 elections was included in the initial list of party list groups disqualified. The Comelec hinted the disqualification of 40 more groups.

In a briefing Tuesday, Comelec Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr. announced that the commission unanimously rejected the participation of 13 accredited groups. He was quoted as saying that these groups “do not represent a marginalized sector.”

Also in the list was Ako Bicol, which obtained the highest number of votes in the 2010 national elections allowing it to have three seats in the House of Representatives.